Project 10073 Record: Sighting Report - Dalton, Kentucky, 7 September 1966

This document contains the official Project Blue Book record of a UFO sighting reported in Caldwell County, Kentucky, on September 7, 1966. The primary witness was a ten-year-old boy who reported observing a circular, silvery object with a red glow at the rear while riding his bicycle home at approximately 6:00 PM. The witness described the object as resembling a 'huge washtub' and noted that it hovered for a few seconds before accelerating rapidly at an upward angle toward the east, emitting a sound described as being between that of a propeller plane and a jet. The witness reported being 'scared to death' and was described by his mother as being 'quite hysterical' upon arriving home. The report was initially filed through the local Civil Defense office in Princeton, Kentucky, by Director Frederick Olszewski, who forwarded the information to the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs and subsequently to the Air Force. The Sheriff of Caldwell County was also mentioned as having seen the object, though he reportedly identified it as a 'satellite' undergoing reentry. The Air Force investigation, led by Major Hector Quintanilla, Jr., concluded that the description was consistent with an aircraft sighting, specifically suggesting that a jet with an afterburner could account for the visual and auditory characteristics reported. Additionally, the file includes a follow-up note regarding an inquiry into the location of the Goodyear blimp on the date of the incident, confirming it was grounded. The witness was sent a formal request to complete a more detailed FTD Form 164 to assist in further evaluation.